Class and graciousness

September 26, 2010

Come the November elections, North Dakota Democrats may stream across the northern border into Canada, before we are rounded up and placed in concentration camps.

The exodus may have already started, if a Clive Runnels' article in the "very underground newspaper," the Manitoba Herald, can be believed. Actually it can't, and it was not meant to be believed.

Entitled "The Canadian Illegal Immigration Problem," the article is a very funny piece (one I wish I had written), and it's easily Googled even by a computer geezer like me.

But maybe it's an overreaction to escape across the border. There have been a few well, OK, there has been one encouraging sign. President Obama and House Speaker to be John Boehner seem on negotiating terms on taxes on the super wealthy.

The two men have other things in common: Both are smokers and people of color.

And, yes, I'm not thinking just blue and red here but also black and orange. Boehner is of a smaller minority group but perhaps the fastest growing one.

Ironically, there may be more cooperation between Dems and Repubs if the latter has control of at least one house of Congress. The GOP will have to do some proposing not just opposing.

Of course not much will be gained if the Dems simply switch places and become the Party of No. But it will be a different mix, with the president having veto power.

And maybe instead of Tea Party meetings, we might have Smokers Party confabs that could meet on the White House lawn and include beer, brats and chips. Then things might get done.

And while we still have President Obama, perhaps we could settle issues with Iran on the basketball court: Obama v. Ahmadinejad in a game of HORSE, or one on one.

This might be a good time for this, especially after we just won the FIBA world basketball championship and did so with class and graciousness.

Kevin Durant was the overall big hero, but a major contributor especially in the final game was Lamar Odom, with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

A few times in the last quarter coming back down court after scoring, he had this smile: not of smugness or any hint of gloating but of joy, satisfaction and appreciation of the game, including the Turks' effort that required our best effort to win, a smile showing why people play this game.

One last perhaps: Could we maybe play the game of politics and of governing with class and graciousness, acknowledging our similarities and not just accentuating our differences?